I will be posting the second and third part of this study at a later day. Please come back by and leave your comments.
A few weeks ago God laid it heavy upon my heart to begin to study the fourth chapter of Lamentations. Upon doing so, I was reminded that in the book of Ecclesiastes 1:9 Solomon states, “The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. The book of Lamentations was written based on the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. Because of their disobedience to God, He removed His hand of protection from His people whom He loved so much. Since we know that God is always faithful, it doesn’t take long to see that man has always ended up being unfaithful. It is very burdensome to look back upon the history of the Bible and attempt to understand why God even bothered giving us more and more opportunities. But in the end He always has a remnant set aside and today I would like to talk about the prophetic forthcoming of seeing this chapter once again unveil itself in our time based upon the actions of the current predominance of Christianity. Because of the in depth study that I have done on this current topic I am going to post this in three sections to complete the study without posting an extremely long blog.
In Lamentations Chapter 4 verse one begins to speak of the sacred gems being scattered which is in reference to the men of God scattered abroad instead of coming together in unity in the ways in which Christ pleaded for us to do. (Ephesians 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:”) I wonder how many roads are truly necessary for us to lead souls to the foot of the cross? Can you imagine being a mouse in a maze trying to find its piece of cheese? The mouse is confronted with twelve different paths all that end up at the same door but it can’t get through any of the twelve endings to that door because there is a ramp that it can’t climb? What the mouse doesn’t realize is that if he just goes around the outside of the maze around all the squabble and confusion he would realize all he has to do is walk under the ramp and the cheese is right there. You see the Body of Christ is the same way. There is only one way to Heaven and if we just point those souls to walk under the covenant of the Blood of Christ they will be able to pass through that door when the time comes to receive their reward. Many souls would have the comfort and desire to come to the Lord if His Body wasn’t separated by so much squabble and confusion within it’s own path.
As we see in verse two those who were once recognized as sons of Zion have lost their authority and their reputations have been lost. It talks about how once worth their weight in gold, they have become as pots of clay. Woodrow Oliver pointed out that, “Clay without moisture becomes hard and brittle, and like a clay pot that has been marred, all of man’s concepts and traditions must be broken, discarded and reformed.” (Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
Verse three speaks on how even Jackals are aware enough to know that it is important to nurse their young. However, as the body of Christ begins to lose focus on purpose of our walk we are leaving new Christians to fend for them selves and seek out truth because so little of it is being taught in the churches. God states that His people have become heartless, which means they have their own desires to gain stature and position. And just as Ostriches in a desert they hold their heads high in pride, yet they don’t realize they are in a desolate dry place. If you look in the book of Job 39 vs.13-18 the Bible describes Ostriches as being joyfully proud of it’s small wings, nonchalant about the safety of its nest, treating offspring harshly and lacking in wisdom. Yet their speed is phenomenal. In other descriptions they are known as bad parents and known to eat just about anything especially when opportunity presents itself when they are in captivity.
Just as the ostriches are known as bad parents, the church and those who walk in Christ are leaving God’s children starving. As verse 4 states “The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] unto them.” Many who would like to have a relationship with the Lord are unable to grow and/or mature after they have accepted Christ because what they are being fed is not enriching their sprit. Why is it that people are ignoring the silent cries that are echoing through our land? There are people hurting, lost without purpose in life. Without the hope of a Savoir, or what awaits them on the other side of this life. Yet, no one gives them the manna in which they need to feed their souls. There is a lack of truth being taught today in the church and it’s time that those who have been called according to the purpose of the faith of the cross turn it up a notch.
In verse five we see that those who were once exalted and in high places where delicacies were eaten are now destitute and in the streets. Those who were nurtured in purple now lie in ash heaps. What became clear to me in this verse is that those who were exalted, was in reference to those who have today been lifted up in wealth and prosperity by the prostitution of the Gospel. Where when God brings judgment upon their misuse of His truth they will be empty (dead in spirit) in the streets. As we know through Biblical references those who wear purple are considered High Priests, it was the same color of the robe that was placed on Jesus as a mockery before He was taken up to be crucified (John 19:5). Also whenever men of God in the Bible were pointed out and acknowledged that they had done something against God they would tear their clothes and cover their head in ashes (EX: Daniel 9:3).
We go into verse six talking about the punishment of Gods people is going to be greater than that of the destruction of Sodom. Now, since I mentioned earlier how this book originated, it is important to recognize that God refers to the punishment of His people. This also lines up with the prophetic announcement in I Peter 4:17 “For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Therefore God’s judgment is beginning in the House where His name is spoken. So those in authority positions in Churches need to humble them selves before the throne of Grace; seek His face and pray in a broken and contrite spirit so that they don’t become one of the one’s covering their head in ashes. We don’t have to look far to recognize and see the things that God is bringing to light in the Body. He is coming back after a Bride without spot or blemish (Ephesians 5:27) and in order for that to happen He is preparing and sorting out His remnant that will be upon the rock when He returns. His Word says that He will expose your hidden sin and that whatever you do in darkness shall be revealed in the light (Luke 12:3).
At what point do we feel we can block sin from God? At what point does a Pastor see that he is prostituting the Gospel of Christ? When He says that what He gives unto us He gives unto us freely (Romans 8:32). Not only does He give it to us freely, but He instructs us to do the same unto others in Matthew 10:8 the Word says, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” What Pastor feels he has the right to charge for God’s Word? God is not about making a profit in the House of God. Need one be reminded of Jesus’ reaction when He walked in and saw the moneychangers in the House of God? They were selling blemished animals, but that was not the point (Matthew 21:12). Micah 3:10-11 says, “They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.” I find it quite disturbing today that we see the same thing happening. I do believe that we should support ministries faithfully and with great discernment. But when I see a Pastor want you to pay him 60-150 dollars to hear the “Amazing Word” God has delivered to Him to share with you on his/her latest 6 CD collection set something in my spirit begins to do flip flops. At the most it costs them 20 to produce that collection. There is no need to charge that much money for what God tells us to offer freely.
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